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Planning Board takes on Boulder Creek Commons plan

Second of two-part meeting is scheduled for Thursday night

By Joe Rubino Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
04/24/2013 10:32:33 PM MDT

Updated:
04/24/2013 10:47:55 PM MDT

Boulder Creek Commons concept plan (Courtesy)

The hearing room at the Boulder Municipal Building was filled to capacity Wednesday night for the first of two meetings at which the Planning Board is considering a controversial annexation and development plan for a property on the city's southeastern edge.

For nearly two decades, neighbors have been opposing development of the Hogan-Pancost site, near South Boulder Road and 55th Street in unincorporated Boulder County, based on concerns about groundwater, flooding and traffic.

The Boulder Creek Commons plan for the 22-acre site calls for 121 housing units, including 50 "congregate-care" senior housing units in a single building, six affordable duplexes, two affordable single-family homes and 63 market-rate single-family homes.

The property would be annexed into the city as part of the plan.

A second Boulder Planning Board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Municipal Building.

Neighbors, including those who live on Kewanee Drive -- which would serve as one of the main access roads to the new development -- spoke out against the plan.

"My neighbors and I keep coming before the board because we care about our homes, our community and the environment. Many of us have felt the impacts of flooding," said Suzanne DeLucia, who has lived on Mineola Court near the site for 25 years. "We ask you to make a good decision to table this project once and for all and not allow annexation of this property into the city."

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DeLucia said the portion of the property where the senior housing is planned was under standing water Wednesday night.

Emily Ditty, of the senior-focused organization Boulder Community CareConnect, spoke in favor of the plan, saying she was there to "support any efforts that are made to increase the number of senior units" in the city.

Development of the site has been delayed for years because of the city's South Boulder Creek flood study and resistance from neighbors. The development lies in a flood plain, and concerns about how the new housing would affect flooding and groundwater took center stage Wednesday night.

Project engineer Walt Niccoli, who has extensive experience dealing with groundwater issues for projects in Boulder, said the issues at the Hogan Pancost property are minimal.

He said groundwater is an issue with development across Boulder. He said the Boulder Creek Commons project would only affect ditch leakage and soil infiltration when it comes to recharging groundwater, which he said can easily be mitigated with engineering techniques.

The public comment portion of the Wednesday hearing did not begin until about 9:30 p.m., leading to some restlessness among those who had gathered in the hearing room. As of 10 p.m., a long line of people was still waiting to speak about the proposal.

The Planning Board will eventually come up with recommendations for the City Council on the project, including whether the city should annex the property, what zoning would be appropriate for the site if it is annexed and whether the plan is appropriate for the site.

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